Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has criticized the leader of the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) party, Jimmie Akesson, who supports Kristersson’s government. Akesson, in a speech at the SD’s annual conference, called for the seizure and demolition of mosques spreading what he termed as “anti-democratic, anti-Swedish, homophobic, anti-Semitic propaganda or general disinformation.”
Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson, although his coalition does not include SD, relies on its support. He condemned Akesson’s statements as “disrespectful” and “polarising,” expressing concern that they misrepresented Sweden internationally.
Akesson’s speech generated both domestic and international backlash, prompting Kristersson to emphasize Sweden’s constitutional right to freedom of religion. He stated that, in Sweden, places of worship are not demolished, and the fight against violent extremism should occur within the framework of a democratic state and the rule of law.
Former Social Democrat Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson called on Kristersson to remove all SD officials working at cabinet offices in Stockholm. She argued that such statements harm Sweden’s image, hinder its NATO application, and contribute to increased polarization in the country.
Sweden’s NATO application, still pending ratification from Hungary and Turkey, has faced tensions with several Middle Eastern countries due to incidents like the desecration of the Holy Quran. These events led to protests and condemnations, with some countries summoning Swedish envoys. In July, Iraqi protesters twice stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, setting fires during the second incident.
Additionally, Sweden faced a disinformation campaign last year, falsely claiming its social services were “kidnapping Muslim children” and placing them in Christian homes, leading authorities to publicly deny the allegations.
